Droughts and Heat Waves

It's something of a relief, if a mixed one, that the drought has surged into the role of the latest scourge to freak out California. It's a relief in the sense that it means that the California economy, so recently frighteningly rocky, has receded as the top-billed problem facing the state, even if the recovery is more patchy and vulnerable than anyone might wish. But it's mixed, of course, because the drought carries its own dangers, and the ultimate solution — rain — remains wholly out of the power of politicians or everyday Californians. Water and Power is The Times' guide to the drought. Sign up to get the free newsletter >> Fresh signs...

Related "Droughts and Heat Waves" Articles

Blazes raging in forests and woodlands across California have taken the life of a firefighter, burned two dozen homes and forced thousands of people to flee as crews continue to battle the flames from the air and the ground.
Twenty-one large fires,...

The interstate bridge that washed out in the desert between Los Angeles and Phoenix easily withstood its daily load of thousands of cars and trucks, but the pounding of a powerful flash flood scoured away the land where the bridge was anchored,...

How long ago was the Great Chicago Heat Wave of 1995? So long that you can't just click on the Internet and call up accounts from that week out of the News-Sun's handy in-house electronic library, which only carries stories dating back to 1997.
In...

Twenty years ago this week, Chicago was gripped by one of the city's worst natural disasters: a scorching heat wave that claimed more than 700 victims, mostly the poor, elderly and others on society's margins.
The temperature hit 106 degrees on July...

South Barrington trustees have voted to join a Cook County plan that coordinates villages and government agencies in responding to hazardous emergencies, such as droughts and tornadoes.
On July 9, trustees voted unanimously for the Cook County...

Weather extremes are normal for Chicago. But Wednesday, July 12, 1995, was odd: the third day of an intensifying heat wave reached 97 degrees and, as darkness fell, didn’t cool down. At 10 p.m. the combined heat and humidity made it feel as if the air...

From just across the Wenatchee River, Dominick Bonny watched a whole neighborhood in his central Washington town burn as a wildfire destroyed two dozen homes and forced hundreds to flee.
"With the wind blowing away from us, it was like we were...

The last thing in the world I want to do is to get on the wrong side of God, the Catholic Church or any of my Catholic friends. But I feel compelled to say that Pope Francis, however infallible he might be in matters spiritual, is just plain wrong about...

The toll from the sweltering heat wave in Pakistan's largest city continued to rise Thursday, surpassing more than 1,000 dead, according to state-run television, even as temperatures began to cool off.
The high temperature in Karachi was 100 degrees...

Pssst. Ready to water that beautiful lush lawn of yours? The one that's the envy of the entire neighborhood.
If you live in Southern California, you'd better wait until after midnight. Preferably on a cloudy, new-moon night during a power outage when...

Despite hopes that weekend thundershowers would help end a raging heat wave in southern India, the rain brought only limited relief as the death toll since mid-April approached 2,200.
Officials said Sunday that the intense heat was likely to continue for...

This week's record rainfall in Texas eased the state's drought and swelled rivers and lakes to the point that they may not return to normal levels until July, scientists said Thursday.
Just weeks ago, much of the state was parched with varying levels...

Eating onions, lying in the shade and splashing into rivers, Indians were doing whatever they could Thursday to stay cool during a brutal heat wave that has killed more than 1,400 in the past month.
But some had no choice but to venture into the heat.
...

For the giant kangaroo rat, death by nature is normally swift and dramatic: a hopeless dash for safety followed by a blood-curdling squeak as their bellies are torn open by eagles, foxes, bobcats and owls.
They're not supposed to die the way they are...

The impending retirements of baby boomers will only exacerbate the number of Americans moving south and west. It's not difficult to imagine the day when tremendous political pressure, perhaps driven by a killer drought, will demand that the Great Lakes be...

His lawn was thick, healthy and gorgeous, and Mike Duran was in love. "It was so green. It was so lush," he said. But the relationship had financial issues. Watering the grass cost about $1,200 every other month in this drought-stricken...

As spring approaches and everything turns new, the Cernan Earth and Space Center introduces new shows this April and May that are sure to entertain even the youngest of astrology enthusiasts.
Throughout the months, families can enjoy an array of new...

California residents have to turn off their sprinklers, and restaurants won't give customers water unless they ask under new drought regulations approved Tuesday.
The State Water Resources Control Board has extended and expanded restrictions on water use...